Are you navigating an “in-between” stage in your life right now, but longing to stay grounded?

Maybe you’re in between jobs, relationships, homes, or life stages.

If this is you, it can feel a bit like you’re wandering through an airport. You’re on your way somewhere, but you haven’t arrived yet. You’re impatiently waiting at the gate for your boarding group to be called, sipping on a latte gone cold and checking your watch for the thousandth time.

Much of the global Church is observing an “in-between” season right now. We are in a time the Protestant Church calls, “Eastertide:” the time between Jesus’ resurrection and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (50 days later).

Eastertide is an in-between season. Jesus has risen, but the Apostles and disciples aren’t fully on mission. The Holy Spirit has been imparted to the disciples (John 20:21-22), but it hasn’t yet been poured out on “all people” (Acts 2; Joel 2:38). The disciples begin interacting with the risen Lord, but they’re not yet sure what it means or what comes next.

What can we learn from how Jesus engages with his disciples in the “in-between”?

Reconnection -> Reaffirmation

Jesus’ priority post-resurrection seems to be reconnecting with his disciples and helping them reconnect with each other. In the precious days left on the earth, Jesus does the following with his disciples:

• Eats meals
• Prays
• Teaches
• Goes on walks
• Comforts and encourages

The disciples aren’t yet planting churches or fully on mission. Before they’re fully sent out to the world, Jesus reconnects with them. He facilitates reconnection between them, and reaffirms who they are as followers and family.

In our ambiguous, in-between stages, this is exactly what we need: to be fully present with God and fully present with others.

The problem is, when we feel like we’re floating and impatience or anxiety overrides all else–fear takes hold.

And when we’re afraid everything won’t be alright or that God has somehow abandoned us, two things can happen:

1. We become self-reliant and turn inward
2. We cling to unhealthy coping mechanisms

What if instead of acting as if we’re on our own or shopping/drinking/scrolling our way through ambiguity, we took it as an opportunity to ground ourselves again?

How to Get Grounded in Ambiguity

Though it’s not fun, that panicked feeling of not knowing what’s next can be transformed into opportunity for greater DEPENDANCE upon God. Put another way, it’s a chance for you to cry out to God and see him come through–not only for what you need, but who are becoming!

One simple way to reaffirm who you are and stay grounded amidst the swirl of the in-between is by practicing this breath prayer:

Abba–I belong to you.

Author Brennan Manning encourages us to breathe in and say within the quiet of our soul, “Abba.” This intimate, Aramaic word for “Daddy” is used by Paul in Romans 8 to affirm our identity as God’s forever family.

Then, Manning says we breathe out and say, “I belong to you.” In doing so, we are slowing down, reminding ourselves we are human and have a soul, and reaffirm our place in Abba’s arms.

To be sure, the Lord wants to answer our prayers and carry us safely to the next stage of our life. I’ve seen him do it MANY times for us. But more than that, Jesus desires connection with us.

If you’re navigating an in-between season right now, we understand exactly how you feel. Our desire is that you would take this as an opportunity to not just get onto the next thing, but to stay grounded. Connect with the real thing in your life today: the presence and person of Jesus.